Track-switch.



J. J. RUDDIGK.

TRACK $WITOH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1908.

Patented NOV. 3, 1908.

mm e MW r: NORRI'S PETERS C04. wAsHmarou, n. c,

JOHN J. RUDDIOK, OF NEWTON,

SIGNAL COMPANY, OF

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES ELECTRIC- PORTLAND, MAINE.

TRACK-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. RUDDIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Track-Switches, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to track switches for electric signal systems, and by the term track switch I mean a'switch in an electric signal system for railroads which switch is located near the track and is adapted to be operated by the car or train as it passes along the track.

One of thediificulties commonly met with where track switches are used in electric signaling systems on railroads is the liability of the track switch to become short-circuited by water which may be flowing along the Specification of Letters Patent.

AppIieation filed May 23, 1908.

track or standing after a shower of rain, or

by other foreign matter which might become deposited on the track. In order to avoid these objections and to provide a track switch which will be operative under all circumstances, I have made my present invention which will be more fully explained hereinafter and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a top plan view ofa portion of a railway track showing my improved track switch in position; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the movable member of the track switch; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 00 00, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on the line y-y, Fig. 1.

The type of track switch which is herein shown is one in which the movable contact of the switch is operated by the car wheels as they pass over the track, said switch embodying a movable member which normally lies adjacent to one ofthe main rails but which is crowded away from said rail by the flange of a car wheel entering between it and the rail.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing I have shown one rail only of a track, such rail being designated by 3. Adjacent this rail is the movable member 4, which, in this embodiment of my invention, is shown as a resilient member fixedly mounted at one end and having the other end resting against or situated adjacent to the rail 3. The member 4 may be Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Serial No. 434,665.

made of any suitable material and of any appropriate shape, and I have herein shown it as having substantially the same shape as he rail 3. Its end 5 is fixedly secured to the track by any suitable means such as a chair or plate 6. The opposite end rests against the track, as at 7, and is curved awayfrom the track, as at 80, thereby forming on each side of the portion '7 a tapering throat between the member 4 and the rail 3 into which the flange of the car wheel enters, whereby as the car wheel passes over the track the flange thereof will act on the movable member 4 and crowd the free end thereof away from said rail. Since the member 4 is without any joints but is resilient this crowding of the free end thereof away from the rail 3 results in bending said member 4 intermediate of its ends, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2. This movable member 4 is by its movement adapted to open and close the switch. Secured to the member 4 is a tubular member S'which may be ordinary gas-piping if desired. This tubular member 8 is rigidly held to the movable member 4 at both the fixed and movable ends of the latter, so that when the movable member 4 is bent by the passage of the car the tubular member 8 must also be bent intermediate its ends.

In the present embodiment of my invention the left hand end 9 of the tubular member is rigidly secured to the movable member 4 by means of two separated clips 10 which encircle the pipe and which are provided with stems 11 extending through the web of the member 4 and secured thereto by suitable nuts 12. The right hand or opposite end 13 of said tubular member is also rigidly secured to the free end of the member 4 by another similar clip 14. With this construction it will be observed that since the yielding movement of the movable member 4 occurs between the clips 10 and 14 the tubular member 8 will also be bent or sprung between these points when a car passes over the switch.

Rigid with the tubular member 8 and adjacent the outer wall thereof is a contact carrier 15 shown in the form of a rod. This rod is made rigid with the right hand end 13 of the tubular member but is disconnected from the other end of the tubular member and is free to move relative thereto. The rigid connection between the contact carrier and the right hand end of the tubular memher can be effected in various ways.- One convenient way is to secure said contact carrier to ablock or head 16 which is situated within the right hand end of the tubular member and is rigidly secured thereto.

The free end 19 of the contact carrier extendsbeyond the tubular member 8' and constitutes a movable contact which cooperates with a fixed contact 17 to close the signal circuit. This fixed contactl? and the con tact portion 19 of'the contact carrier are situated within a water-tight chamber so that their operation cannot be effected by the presence ofany foreign matter. This water-tight chamber. is shown as a box 20 which is secured to the ties or to the extended portion 21 of the chair 6.

The box herein shown is provided with a boss 22 into which the end of the tubular member 8 is screwed, and said box is covered by a cap 23 thus forming within it a watertight and practically hermetically sealed chamber within which the contacts 17 and 19 v are located. Extending from said box is a nipple or boss 220 to which a pipe 230 is connected, said pipe and nipple inclosing the wire 18 of the signal circuit which is electrically connected to the fixed contact 17. This pipe 230 may lead to the signal box and is used for protecting the wire and preventing any rain, moisture, or foreign matter from entering the box 20.

The fixed contact 17 is suitably insulated from the box and from the track structure. One convenient way of securing this insulartion is to secure said contact to the plate 25 of insulating material, and secure the latter to another plate 26 also of insulating material which may either be secured to the bottom of the box or may form the bottom thereof.

With the parts in their normal position, as shown infull lines Fig. 1, the contact carrier 15 lies adjacent the outer sideof the tubular member 8' and the end 19 thereof is separated or spaced from the fixed contact 17 The circuit 18 is therefore open. Whenever a car passes over the track the flanges of the wheels thereof will crowd the free end of the movable member 1 away from the rail 3 and in doing so will bend said movable member and the tubular member 8 at their central portion, The contact carrier 15 however is not bent by the bending of the tubular member 8, because said contact carrier is free from the tubular member at the fixed end of the latter, and, therefore, the movement of the end 13 of the tubular member 7 away from the rail 3 results in throwing the contact 19 of the contact carrier toward the rail 3 and into engagement with the fixed contact 17 thus closing the circuit 18.

The box 20 is madewater-tight and the free end 13 of the tubular member 8 is also closed or made water-tight by asuitable cap herein shown.

IL-and as a result there is no access to the interior of the box 20 except through the; pipe 23, and the' open end of the latter may 7 The tubular men'iber 8 constitutes in efi'ect an extension of the water-tight compartment, so that in the formin whic vention is disclosed the water-tight compartment has a resilienttubular extension which is adapted to be bent by the passing of a car, and which causes the contacts to be closed by the bending thereof.

my in proper operation of the A switch such as above described adapt- I ed for use in connection with electric signal systems of various kinds and also electrical apparatus for operating switches. 7 adapted for use on either steam roads or electric railways.

I have shown herein only one embodiment of my invention, that one being selected to illustrate the invention because it is the preferred embodiment.

This invention, therefore, is not limited to details of construction Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. In a track switch, the combination with a water-tight compartment having a resilient extension, of fixed and movable contacts within said compartment, said movable con- 2. In a track switch, the combination with a-water tight compartment having a tubular resilient extension, of-a fixed contact within said compartment, and a movable contact also within said compartment, and carried by the tubular extension. H

3. In ajtrack switch, the combination with a water-tight compartment having a tubular extension, extending in the direction of the rails of. the track, of a fixed contact within said compartment, a movable contact supported by the resilient extension, and means to bend said extension by the passing of a train or car over the track.- a

4'.- In a track switch, the combination, with a resilient member extending'in the di rection of the track and fixed at one end, the other end thereof being adapted to be moved by a car traveling over the track, of a pair of normallyopen contacts, one of which is supported by the resilient member and is moved against the other by'the bending of said member, and a water-tight casing inclosing said contacts.

5. In a track switch, the combination with a resilient member fixed at one end andhaving its other end free to be acted upon by the wheels of acar, of a tubular member carried by the said resilient member, and se-' His- '1'00 tact being carried by the resilient exte'nsion.

iso

cured thereto at its ends, a watertight casing secured to the fixed end of the tubular member, a contact therein and a contactearrier inclosed Within the tubular member and adapted to be brought into engagement with the contact by the bending of the tubu- Iar member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN J. RUDDICK.

Witnesses LOUIs C. SMITH, FREDERICK S. GREENLEAF. 

